Abstract:

Hackathons are a current trend in many industries aiming to ideate new digital innovations that can disrupt existing businesses. There is a lot of potential in hackathons but there is a long journey to go before an idea from a hackathon is turned into successful business. During this journey a hackathon team needs different types of inter-organizational networks in order to survive and the business to grow. However, researchers have not yet investigated the evolution process.

This thesis presents a longitudinal case study aiming to get a novel understanding on how hackathon teams evolve from an idea to actual business after a hackathon. Two hackathon teams are followed for one year to examine their evolution and network formation. The empirical case study is conducted with a process perspective, examining events and actions of the case teams’ evolution related to time and other events. Since no previous research exists on hackathon team evolution specifically, the empirical study is supported with a comprehensive literature review on small firm evolution and relationship development.

The main results of this case study propose that hackathon teams evolve in stages: (1) concept generation, (2) piloting, (3) early operation, (4) growth and (5) maturity. When moving from one stage to the next, a hackathon team makes a clear shift in their strategic focus. In addition, a continuous stage of exploration is ongoing simultaneously with the other stages, which indicates the high technology-driven nature of hackathon teams.

The case study shows that during the first evolution stages, a hackathon team is not yet able to intentionally manage its networks. Instead, they are depending on opportunities of for example different events and their own personal relationships. Different networks are important in different evolution stages, but according to the findings of this case study most important are reputational networks that provide a hackathon team with credibility. In each inter-organizational relationship, the initial expectations are crucial in determining its success. The relationships develop in cycles where commitment increases in time and continuous learning leads to readjustments.

To conclude, this thesis presents novel theoretical understanding on hackathon team evolution. Thus, it opens up the topic for future research that is needed to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon. The results are quite consistent with the evolution of any small emerging firm. However, this case study indicates that hackathon teams can enter new networks through social capital that the gain by participating hackathons and other events. In addition to the theoretical implications, some practical implications are pointed out based on the case study to hackathon teams, their partners and hackathon organizers.Hackathonit ovat ajankohtainen trendi monilla aloilla ja niiden tarkoituksena on ideoida uusia innovaatioita mullistamaan olemassa olevaa liiketoimintaa. Hackathoneissa on paljon potentiaalia, mutta matka hackathonissa syntyneestä ideasta menestyväksi liiketoiminnaksi on pitkä. Selviytyäkseen hackathon-tiimin on tehtävä yhteistyötä muiden organisaatioiden kanssa. Tätä hackathon-tiimien ja niiden verkostojen evoluutiota ei kuitenkaan ole vielä tutkittu.